Repeal or Amend?

The Universities and University Colleges Act (UUCA) has been an issue for a long time since the act was amended in 1975 and Section 15 was introduced. Now, the Court of Appeal has been declared that Section 15(5) (a) of the Universities and University Colleges Act to be unconstitutional to the law which unreasonable and breached the constitutional guarantee of the freedom of speech.

However, should the act be canceled or just amend? The act is consider as unconstitutional as it has against the law of freedom of speech for the undergraduate whose reach 21 years old, but there are also a huge numbers of undergraduate that haven reach the age that provide them the right. The education should not be interference by the politic but by canceling the act, there are no guarantees that the students who involve in the politic will not brought in the political issues to the institutes and distract the other students from their studies.

Academy should be a standalone place for the students to gain their knowledge and prepare themselves before enter the reality world. Isn’t say that the undergraduate do not mature enough to be responsible to themselves but to responsible to the others. Although they are the future leader and have to concern about the government and political orientation, there are also students that do not have the interest to get involves in the matter. What if the repeal of the act allowed the political enthusiasts brought in the political issues and disrupts the other students’ university life?

There are controversial provisions in the Section 15 of UUCA to the law, but a moderate amendment of the act should be enough to change to situation and grant the undergraduate the freedom of speech and get involved in the politic activities.

(298 words)

Kwek Cheng Wooi  09UJB06609
Por Qian Wen     09UJB07424
Goh Pik Ying     09UJB06951